Valley Thanksgiving Blessing on Nov. 22 needs donations, volunteers

MAT-SU — Did you know donating as little as $15 can buy a turkey to help share Thanksgiving with a Valley family? For a gift of $45, you can provide the whole feast to a local family who might otherwise do without.

In advance of the annual Valley Thanksgiving Blessing event, donations of food and cash are needed to help make the food distribution event possible. Donate online at foodbankofalaska.org.

On the wish list for donations this year are aluminum roasting pans; canned vegetables; cranberry sauce; dinner rolls (packs of 12); gravy mix; pounds of butter/margarine; and stuffing mix.

Organizers encourage groups such as churches and businesses to stage food collection events. They suggest groups set a goal for collecting a single food item, such as 1,000 cans of corn.

Volunteers also are needed to help with set-up and food distribution that Saturday at six sites around the Valley.

If you need food, you can get a turkey and all the Thanksgiving fixings by showing up at the distribution point for your ZIP code. You must bring proof of address to receive food.

Food will be shared from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 22 at the following locations.

• Faith Bible Fellowship, 14159 West Hollywood Road. Serves Zip codes: 99652, 99624, 99623 (near Big Lake) and 99694. Call 892-8545.

• Fellowship Lutheran Church, Mile 1.1, Petersville Road, Trapper Creek. Serves ZIP code: 99683. Call 952-1750.

• Wasilla Bible Church, 1651 West Nicola Ave., Wasilla. Serves ZIP codes: 99623 (near Wasilla), 99629, 99654 and 99687. Call 376-2176.

• Real Life Church, 10697 East Palmer-Wasilla Highway. Serves ZIP codes 99645 and 99674. Call 745-5673.

• Upper Susitna Senior Center, 16463 E. Helena St., Mile 98.5, Parks Highway, Talkeetna. Serves ZIP codes 99676 and 99667. Call 952-1750.

• Willow United Methodist Church, Mile 67.5, Parks Highway, Willow. Serves ZIP codes 99688 and 99694. Call 495-6638.

For more information, or to sign up for a food basket, call the number for the nearest distribution site.